Instructional Systems Design

In any high-risk industry, instructional systems design is critical: a non-technical skills training program can ensure that appropriate skills development takes place and that trainees are able to be assessed as competent in using those skills in practice. An approach to the identification of training needs for non-technical skills is cognitive task analysis (CTA). CTA is a method used to describe the mental processes that support work performance alongside the behavioural elements. The aspects of an organisation&s;s safety management system that can be used in the identification of training needs, can also be used to monitor the effectiveness of non-technical skills training programs. A gap analysis is designed to understand the needs of the trainees in terms of their current knowledge, skills and attitudes, and what is required for competent performance in their safety-critical roles. Designing assessment tasks serves to focus the overall curriculum design on the desired knowledge and skills that are to be developed.